PS3 Yellow Light of Death Repair

YLOD What is it? (and how can it be fixed?)

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If your PlayStation 3 is acting like the one in the above video then you have the dreaded Yellow Light of Death. There’s a lot of bad “home advice” on the net on what to do to fix it which will most likely cause further damage, but not much on what it really is. That’s why we’re here to explain what’s going on and what can be done about it.

First off, if you haven’t put it in the oven, taken a hairdryer to it, or dropped it off to a computer or iphone repair place that thinks they know to fix it, you’re in good shape. Even if you have done any or all the above things we can still probably help you. What is most likely happening is a general hardware error with the CPU or GPU. Most commonly a broken connection between the processor and the motherboard.

Below is a picture of the PS3 GPU RSX

Detached PS3 graphics processor

See all those little metal dots? There are hundreds on there that “glue” the processor down and allow it to communicate with the PlayStation 3. Over time as the system heats up and cools down from powering on and off those connections flex until eventually some will break. All it takes is onefor the PS3 to stop working and get a Yellow Light.

Think of it this way, grab a paper clip and straighten it out. Then start flexing it back and forth, it will get hot and then break where you were flexing it. The good news is that this is usually repairable by strengthening and re-attaching the entire processor. The only safe, effective, and reliable way is to have a professional repair shop to do it for you.

To safely attach the processor back you need to achieve very specific temperatures, ones well over 400 degrees Fahrenheit for specific times. To do this you need to have a machine like the one below.

BGA Rework Station

If you don’t have one of these don’t try repairing it yourself. Using other techniques will only put a Band-Aid® on the problem. Imagine the previously mentioned broken paper clip. You could weld it back together to make it whole, which is what these machines do. Or you could tape it back together which might work for a little while but will certainly break again, which is what any home techniques are.

So, if you’re getting the YLOD now you know what it is and how it can be fixed. We can easily fix this problem for you quickly and effectively. Just contact us.